Signal-box with local-alarm mechanism.



F. W. COLE.

S1GNAL BOXWlTH LOCAL ALARM MECHANISM.

Patented May 14, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET APPLICATION FILED MAY 10, 1915.

. #QZDW. v Lw224 F. W. COLE.

SIGNAL BOX WITH LOCAL ALARM MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10 191-5.

1 ,265, 749.v Patented May. 14, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Jiwwen $6, I ah M M W srrrrns oration;

FREDERICK W. COLE, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GAMEWELL FIRE ALARM TELEGRAPH G0,, OF NEVT YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SIGNAL-BOX VfITI-I LOCAL-ALARM MECHANISM.

Application filed May 10, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK WV. COLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Signal-Boxes with Local- ;ilarm Mechanism, of which the following a specification. This invention relates to signal-boxes 1o equipped with a local-alarm. Some boxes are. provided with a normally wound signalinganechanism, which, when released, will operate to send its signal, and others are equipped with a. normally unwound sig- 11aling-mechanism having a pull by which the actuating-spring is wound and then released, thereby to cause the operation of the signailing-mechanism to send its signal.

The present invention has to do particularly with a box having a normally unwound signalingmechanism.

The invention has for one of its objects the provi ion of improved means adapted for operation by a local-alarm mechanism with which the box is equipped, and which is usually arranged on the door of the box, by which to operate the pull to wind the actuating-spring of the signaling-mechanism, and then to release it to cause the signnling-mechanism to send its signal. The invention also has for its objectthe association or combination with said improved actuating-means for the box-pull, of an improved form of local-alarm mechanism having many advantages, which is arranged to operate said actuating-means. The particular form of local-alarm mechanism, here shown for illustration, is shown and de scribed in my application for Letters Patent No. 22,288,1iled Apr. 19, 1915, being therein arranged to cause the operation of a normally wound signaling-mechanism, al-

though the invention embodied in said ap plication is not limited to its use in connection with such type of signaling mechanism.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a keyless lire-larm box, with its door open to show in elevation the local-alarm mechanism and means operated by it to actuate the normally unwound signaling-mechanism.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged elevation of the 10- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 14, 1918.

Serial No. 26,934.

cal-alarm mechanism and actuating-member for the boX.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the localalarm mechanism and actuating-member for the box.

Fig. l is a transverse vertical section.

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views to be referred to.

The box-case 1, contains a normally-unwound signaling-n1echanism of any welllmown or suitable construction, which is arran ed in the case and has a pull at projecting through a hole in the inner door 2, adapted to be pulled downward to wind the actuating-spring of signaling-mechanism and release the same, to cause said mechanism to send its signal.

The local-alarm mechanism and the actuator for said pull i, are here shown as mounted on the inside of the outer door 5, and adapted for operation by a handle 6 or equivalent form of actuator on the outside of the outer door. The handle 6 is fixed to a shaft 7, journaled in the front and back plates 8 and 9, respectively, these plates constituting the supporting frame-work, and being rigidly hold in spaced-apart relation by posts or pins 10. The shaft 7 has fixed thereon a drum 11, having a flange 12 pro vided with a series of recesses 13, here shown as four in number, forming ratchet-shoulders, said recesses being equally spaced around its circumference for the engagementtherewith of a pawl 24-, pivoted to the frame at 25, and adapted to prevent backward, and permit forward rotation of said drum. Within the drum llis arranged a strong coiled spring 23, having its outer end fixed to the drum, and its inner end fixed to a hub 11, which is loosely supported on the shaft '7. This spring serves as the actuating-spring for the local alarm mechanism; and said drum 11, its shaft 7, and handle 6, serve as the winding-device for said spring. The spring is wound by a turning movement of the handle in a clockwise direction and a winding operation is completed when the pawl 2st falls back of one of the shoulders.

The hub 14, which is mounted loosely on the shaft 7, has a radial web 15, which carresets-e ries at its periphery a spur gea r-rini 16, here shown as laterally offset toward the drum 1-1, but it may be otherwise constructed. The teeth 17 of said spur-gear engage and drive a pinion 3i", journaled in the fame-work, the shaft 01" which bears an escape-wheel S8, with which cooperates a pallet 39, to which is attached an arm a or a hell-l1ain1n .ar, which is adapted to strike a gong all as the pallet is vibrated. Said spring and hub to which its inner end is connected, and spur-gear, pinion, escapewheel, pallet, hellhammer and gong constitute the locahaaz'm mechanism, which here shown for tl e purpose of illustrating one embodiment of my ini'ention; and it will he noted tlat as the rindingalevice, before described, is connected with the outer end of the ring wound for accumulating power, X no 1 f be subsequently expended l in? from the nine of the spi O for operating the l, rm mechanism.

The insi of the spur-gear rim 16 or equivalent =1: wl associated with ich is a ll n1, is formed llll s l8, two beii g here shown, which are oppositely disposed, sa id recesses having at on: side substantially radial walls 19, and at the other side inclined walls 20.

The recesses are oi 1 depth sul'licient to receive a dete t 21, c ending laterally from a detent-carry 11g 1" which 1s pivoted at 2-6 to the irame-worlt, and said detent normally occupies a position in one of said recesses, thereby to hold the local-alarm mechanism at rest, and is movable out or the recess which it occupio, to release and permit ope ation of said local-alarm mechanism.

Said detent is also arr-ans forward movement of the when the actuating-soring has heel L a predeteril nod amount, and while the local-alarm mechanism is operat For the accomplishment of this resnlt a dislome her 29 is loosely mounted on the huh L, next the web 15, and has opposite notches or recesses 39, which in at one side 1':- dial walls and, the other side, inclined walls 32, said recesses corresponding to the walls of said recesses 18. The re cesses 30, like the recesses 18, are or a depth suilicient to receive the aforesaid detent 21. Elaid dick-member is here shown as arranged i l the same plane as the recessed gear-rim, and is of a diameter to fit loosely within said rim, so that the detent 21 ma pass out of a recess in one and into a recess in the otl er as the ar moved relatively to each other, thereby engaging the rim when in one position, and the disk-member when in the other postion. The disk-member 29 is arranged for operation by the windingdevice, being associated therewith, and, as here shown, it has a short arcnatc slot arr-a iged concentrically at one side of its center which receives a pin E l extended from. the drum 11, and as the drum is turned, with the exception of the lost mo tion due to the length of said slot 33, said disk-member will be correspondingly turned. The turning movement of said diskmember relative to the gear by the winding- ClBYlCQ is limited by the long arcuate slot 35, aranged concentrically at the other side of its center, which receives a pin 36 extended inward from the web 15, of the gear, and said slot also limits the relative turning lDOVQl'QZli) oi the l6, independently of the dish-member by its acmating-spring.

It will be noted that the detent-carryingarm 22, hearing the detent, serves as the contr Hing-means or member of the localalarm mechanism, and also of the windingderice wherehv the winding-device and lo- Cttl-fitldlil mechanism are alter: ateiy held from forward. motion while the other is free for operation.

The geanriin lo is engaged by a pinion 50 secured to a shaft journaled in the front and back-plates, and a snail-cam which is also secured to said shaft 51, is arranged for engagement with a pin 53, ."th or without a roll thereon, which pro iects late ally from one arm 5 of helllever, the other arm of which lever rnaoe quite long, and is z anged for 'inginfr moronic; in. the path of the p lll l. Said hell-crank leier is pivoted at and is held in engagement with the ed e f the cam by a spring- :57. The gear designed to make a half-revolution at eaci operation, and the pinion to plete revolution, hence said constructed accordingly.

malre a commemhers are :ction by the handle 6, the spring will. 3e wound f om its outer end by the turnng of the or un 11, while its inner end is ield from escapcinent h the stationarily lQlt; hub lil. The hub ll and the gear- 'im rigid therewith, are held stationarily at his time b, the engagement of the detent A, with the inclined wall 20 of one of the notches 18 on said gear-rim, the extremity of said detcnt being here SllOV i as correspondingly inclined on the side that cooperates with said wall 20. The detent 21. is held from the tendency, which the inclined wall 20 under the action of spring 23 would normally have to move it out of holding position, by the periphei i of the disk-member 29, which engages under detent 21 and holds it up into the notch 18, an adjacent recess 30 in said disk-111e1nher being just past said detent in the normal position of the parts, to which position the diskanember was carried by the last operation of the gear when its pin 36 engaged the end of the long slot 35, thus said dislr member serves as a hohli1igine1nber for holding the detent in its normal position in engagement with the gear-rim, thereby to hold the local-alarm mechanism at rest. As the manual winding or turning movement of the winding-device commences, the pin Ed on drum 11 first moves lengthwise of the short slot 33, and on arriving at the end of said slot picks up the disk-member 29, which latter then turns with it through the main part of the winding movement. In this winding movement the then stationary pin 36 is traversed through the lo 1g slot 35 of the disk-member 29. As soon as the shaft 7 has been turned a predetermined distance to wind the spring a predetermined amount, shown in the present embodiment as a half-revolution, and just as the pawl 2% drops in behind the second of the ratchet-shoulders 13, the turning movement of the disk-member 29 brings a recess 30 thereof, opposite or beneath the detent 21, which latter is then caused to move from the recess into the recess by the cam action of the inclined wall 20 of the recess 18 of the gear which at such time is permitted to move by the pressure of its actuating-spring 23, as said gear is not now restrained.

The local-alarm mechanism is thus released and permitted to operate by the unwinding of spring 28, until the gear-rim 16 has turned approximately a half-revolution, during which time the bell-crank lever has been moved, and its arm swung to de press the pull 4:, thereby winding the signaling-mechanism and thereafter said bellcrank lever is released by the cam to allow the signaling-mechanism to operate to trans mit the signal and the bell-crank lever is returned to its normal position by spring 57. The detent 21, during the winding, is held in the notch 30 of disk-member 29. Just before the approaching notch 18 of the then rotating gear-rim 16, comes opposite the detent 21, the pin 86 arrives at the end of the slot 35, and picks up the disk-member 29, turning it so that the inclined Wall 32 of notch 30 in which the detent has been resting, forces said detent out of said notch 30 and into the notch 18, just as said notch 18 comes opposite said notch 30; and itwill be noted that the end-portion of detent 21, engaged by the wall 32 in this operation is inclined to facilitate this action. The pin 36 is so disposed relative to the notches 18 and 30, that the detent 21 is pressed up fully into the notch 18, and comes to rest against its inclined wall 20, just after the inclined wall 32 has pressed the detent entirely out of notch 30, so that it rests fiat upon the adj acent periphery of disk-member 29, as seen at Fig. 2; the slot 33 being of suflicient extent to permit the requisite movement of pin 3st in order that this movement may take place. Thus the cycle of operation is completed and the parts are ready for another winding of the spring by turning the shaft 7. It will be particularly noted that the arrangement of parts, as described, is such that the local-alarm cannot be caused to sound until the handle has been turned far enough to wind and release said mechanism, and that the pull of the signaling-mechv anism will be depressed during the time the local-alarm is sounding, so that one does not operate except the other also does. Further, after the stem 7 has been turned to wind the spring enough so that the detent 21 is displaced and the gear-rim 16 is released to start the local-alarm mechanism, both the operation of the local-alarm mechanism and the depression of the pull of the signalingmechanism are entirely automatic and wholly out of control of the operator; so that both the local-alarm will be sounded and the signaling-mechanism will necessarily be wound and released by each operation of the local-alarm device, and thereafter the parts will be automatically reset for another operation without possibility of meddling or interference by an ignorant or mischievous operator.

I claim:

1. A signal-box having a normally unwound signaling-meehanism with a pull for operating it, a local-alarm mechanism having an actuating-spring, means for Winding said spring, a controlling-member arranged to hold the local-alarm mechanism while its spring is being wound, and to release it and move into position to hold the windingmeans while the local-alarm mechanism is operating, a pivoted arm arranged for en gagement with said pull to wind the signaling-mechanism, and means operated by said spring for moving said arm in one direction to operate the pull and to release said arm, permitting independent return movement thereof to normal, said operating means being restored by the actuating-spring.

2. A signal-box having a normally unwound signaling-mechanism with a pull for operating it, a local-alarm mechanism having an actuating-spring, means for winding said spring, a controlling-member arranged to release said actuating-spring, movement of which is controlled by the winding-means at the end of the winding operation, a pivoted arm arranged for movement in the path of the pull, to engage and operate said pull, a rotatable cam driven by said actuatingspring for moving said arm in one direction to operate the pull, which permits independent return movement of id arm to normal, said cam being restored by said actuatingspring.

in a signahhox, the combination of a normally unwound signaling-mechanism. having a pull, a lo Eel-alarm mechanism adapted to be wound, means for winding said local-alarm mechanism, a pivoted hellcranh lever, one arm of which is arranged to move in the path of the pull to engage and operate said pull, a cam driven by the local-alarm mechanism to engage the other arm of said lever to move it to operate and then release the pull, and then resume its normal position.

d. In 1 signal-box, the combination of a l'iOl'lllElllV unwomnl signaling mechanism having a pull, a local-alarm mechanism adapted to be wound, means for winding said local-alarm mechanism, a pivoted bell crank lever, one arm of which is arranged to more in the path of the pull to engage and operate said pull, a cam rotated .hy the loral-alarm mechanism a complete cycle, adapted to engage the other arm oi. l'd lever and more it to operate the pull during the first part of its cycle of motion, and to resume its; normal position during the last part of its cycle of motion.

In a signal-box, the combination of a norn'ially unwound signaling-mechanism having a pull, a local-alarm mechanisnii adapted to be wound, means for winding said local-alarm mechanism, a controllingmemher arranged to hold said local-alarm mechanism while it is being wound and to release said mechanism at the end of the winding; operation, and to hold the wind ing-mcans while the local-alarm mechanism is operatii a winding arm adapted for engagement with the pull. to wind the signaling-mechanism, and n'ieans operated by the local-alarm mechanism adapted to move said arm and release it at the end of its winding operation.

6. it signal-h having a normally unwound si inding-1iiechanism with a pull for operat t. a l calailarm mechanism having an actuatii'r -spring, means for winding said spring, a controlling-member aranged to release said actuating-spring, movement of which is controlled by the winding-mean at the end of the winding ooeration. a )lYOlZOCl swin -controlled bell cranl: lever, one arm of which is arranged to swing in the path of movement of the pull, to engage and operate said pull, and a rotatable snail-cam driven by said actuating-spring for engaging" the other arm of said lever for moving said lever in one di rection to operate the pull. and which permits return movement of said lever to n ormal.

1 seep ie means for said local-alarm mechanism arranged to hold it at rest while the windingmaans is being operated to Wind the spring, which is adapted to he moved by the Winding-means at the end of its winding-movement to release the local allarm-mechanism and to lock the winding-means and hold it throughout the operation of the local-alarm mechanism, and means operated by said alarm-mechanism for operating the pull to wind the signaling-mechanism.

3r signal-box having a normally unwound signaliiig-mechanism with a pull for operating it, a local-alarm mechanism, means associated with said local alarmmechanism for operating said pull to wind the signaling-n:echanism, said local alarmmechanism having an. actouting-spring connected at one end to operate the local alarmnnchunism, and also to operate the pull to wind the signalingauechanism, and means for winding said spring "from the other end thereof, and controlling-means for holding the local aleray-mechanism from operation havin provision adapted to be released by the windingmeans alter a predetermined windiugonovenlent thereof and then to lock the winding-means and hold it during the operation of the loealalarm mechamsm.

9. 3i signal-box having a normally unrouml signal-mechanism with a pull for winding' it, a local-alarm mechanism having an actuating-spring, a gear arranged to be driven by said spring, a detent for holding said gear while the spring is being wound, .vindiig-means for the spring arranged t control the movement of said detent at the end or the winding operation, a pinion engaging said gear. cam arranged on the pinion-shaft, and a spring-controlled pivoted arm arranged for movement in one i'lirection by said cam, which permits its return movement, said arm being movable in the path of the pull to engage and operate it, to therein operate the signaling-mechasinnaldiox havin a local-alarm mechanism assoc'ated with it, a main-spring or the alarm-mechanism, one end of which s connected with the alarm-mechanism, and he other end is adapted to he wound a 'indingdevice for progressively winding other end, a dog for holding its other end and the winding-device from reverse motion, a detent for preventing forward motion of the opposite end of the spring until said spring has been wound a determined distauce to cause a complete opera- In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to due spec1fieat1on, 1n the presence of two subscrlblng \vltnesses.

FREDERICK W. COLE.

tion to be performed, means controlled by the Winding-device for releasing the driving end of the spring to operate the local- 111111'111 meehnnism when the spring has been thus suflieiently Wound, and a Winding and 1releasing-device for the signaling mechaitnesses: .msm operated by the local-211211111 lnecha- B. J. NOYES, 1115111. H. B. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

